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thebetterstory's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A very odd book, owing mostly to its very odd but lovable narrator. We still don't have all that many stories about an AI from their perspective, and those that we do tend to show the AI as very human (see: the delightful Murderbot). Klara's perspective is downright bizarre in a way that's continually surprising and interesting to read. I've never seen an author so successfully convey what it would look like if you essentially created a fully-fledged, mature human, had her live her entire life in a quiet retail store and then sent her out to experience the world with only that limited perspective to rely on.
The central plot, or what there is of it, remains tense and absorbing as you're drawn into hoping that things will work out for these characters, against all odds and in spite of their blatant flaws.
The central plot, or what there is of it, remains tense and absorbing as you're drawn into hoping that things will work out for these characters, against all odds and in spite of their blatant flaws.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Minor: Bullying, Racism, and Xenophobia
The characters are nuanced, but it's certain that they are all generally unkind to Klara at one point or another in the book. I wouldn't personally say that these relationships are solely toxic, and Klara isn't upset by it, but there's definitely significant dehumanization at times (if you count Klara as a human) and a background understanding and suggestion that AFs, including one we care about, have been and continue to be abused.abmochapman's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
a slow-burn dystopia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Death and Slavery
Minor: Xenophobia
augustst's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, and Grief
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Toxic friendship
anastasiamakes's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I'd call this maybe more of an 'experience' than a typical read (at least for me), and was toying with rating it lower until that ending just absolutely broke my heart.
It's slower paced than what I typically read, more about putting you in the situation of a future with realistic AI "artifical friends" and encouraging you to reflect on all the different implications of that, than developing plot or characters.
But I have come out of it feeling better for having had read it, and I believe it will be something I continue to dwell on for a while.
It's slower paced than what I typically read, more about putting you in the situation of a future with realistic AI "artifical friends" and encouraging you to reflect on all the different implications of that, than developing plot or characters.
But I have come out of it feeling better for having had read it, and I believe it will be something I continue to dwell on for a while.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, and Xenophobia
fraxisle's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness
Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, and Dementia
Minor: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Xenophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment
rhii_reading's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
For years I associated an Ishiguro book with a module I hated at university, but now I wish I hadn’t waited so long to finally pick up another one.
The way that Ishiguro writes from the perspective of a such a naive but hopeful character is so interesting, because as I got through the story I slowly started to pick up on the more sinister aspects of the book’s society. This jarring contrast between the way Klara observes and even other characters’ innocuous comments, and your own realisation of what is actually going on, made it such an engaging read.
The only issue I had was that it felt like some of the science fiction elements that were more glossed over or unexplained, in a way that felt different to the rest of the books tendency to let readers discover more of the context of the books society.
The way that Ishiguro writes from the perspective of a such a naive but hopeful character is so interesting, because as I got through the story I slowly started to pick up on the more sinister aspects of the book’s society. This jarring contrast between the way Klara observes and even other characters’ innocuous comments, and your own realisation of what is actually going on, made it such an engaging read.
The only issue I had was that it felt like some of the science fiction elements that were more glossed over or unexplained, in a way that felt different to the rest of the books tendency to let readers discover more of the context of the books society.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Xenophobia
franzi_'s review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Terminal illness
Minor: Bullying, Xenophobia, and Classism
orangesoda733's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Racism and Xenophobia
bexi's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Xenophobia, and Abandonment
Minor: Cursing